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Flash-to-bang can keep you safe

Summertime has many people splashing and having fun poolside. If you’re having fun in the sun, it pays to keep your eye on the sky, because summertime storms can pop up quickly. Along with hazards like strong wind and heavy rain, summer storms can bring dangerous lightning. According to the National Lightning Safety Institute (NLSI) lightning strikes are random and unpredictable and being prepared is the best defense for staying safe.

When you are in the pool, you are connected to more surface area than you realize. There are water pipes running underground, electric lines powering the pump, gas lines and telephone lines running underground and near the pool. A lightning strike anywhere in this metallic grid could induce shocks elsewhere — including the swimming pool.

The NLSI has put together a list of recommendations for swimming pool safety:

Designate a responsible person as the weather safety lookout. That person should keep an eye on the weather. Use a “weather radio” or the Weather Channel or local Radio and TV stations to get advanced weather information.

When thunder and/or lightning are first noticed, clear the pool and seek shelter. A good rule of thumb: when thunder roars, go indoors.

Pool activities should remain suspended until thirty minutes after the last thunder is heard. Lightning can strike from 5 to 8 miles away.

Don’t take a chance with lightning — keep your family and friends safe this summer.

Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives is a national network of electric cooperatives across 46 states that provides resources and leverages partnerships to help member cooperatives and their employees better engage and serve their members. By working together, Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives stand as a source of power and information to their 32 million member-owners every day.